via Joe Lloyd / M&Ms, with permission
Christopher McDonald, the actor best known for his iconic role as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, has been making the rounds promoting a new collaboration with M&M’s, but he couldn’t resist dropping some tantalizing hints about his upcoming projects.
In a recent conversation with BroBible, the man who once declared he’d “eat pieces of sh*t like you for breakfast” revealed that he got into a bit of hot water for spilling the beans on Happy Gilmore 2 back in March when he spilled details on The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima.
“I’m excited, believe me. It’s going to be fantastic, but I have to leave it at that because I signed an NDA,” McDonald tells BroBible. “I told one DJ guy, and he promised he’d edit it out, but they didn’t do that. So I thought, okay, I really have to keep my mouth shut. But I got my wrist slapped a little bit, and it was okay because three weeks later, they broke the news anyway, and it was all good. Happy Gilmore even hit Netflix and was the number one show for three weeks, which was fantastic.”
McDonald’s excitement is real, but he’s learned the hard way that some things are better left unsaid—at least until the time is right. The actor’s slip-up hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for the film, and it’s clear that Happy Gilmore holds a special place in his heart.
With casting calls for Happy Gilmore 2 drawing huge throngs of eager extras in New Jersey, the hype surrounding the sequel is already off the charts.
Talked to the great Christopher McDonald last week and he said he got in trouble for leaking the news about Happy Gilmore 2 before the official announcement earlier this year… @BroBible pic.twitter.com/4F1fdKujcG
— brandon wenerd (@brandonwenerd) September 2, 2024
“12,000! When I heard that number, I said… what 12,000 people?!”
It just shows you how iconic the franchise is. People are willing to drop everything to be involved.
“I’m not going to work that week—I’m going to be watching golf!” McDonald adds.
via Joe Lloyd / M&Ms, with permission
But it’s not just Happy Gilmore that’s keeping McDonald busy. He’s also been in New York, teaming up with M&M’s for the M&M’S® Peanut Butter Championship mini-golf event to celebrate the roll out of peanut butter M&M minis and M&M’S Peanut Butter Mega at the William Vale Hotel in Brooklyn. The actor shared his lifelong love for the chocolate treat, telling BroBible, “M&M’s were my favorite growing up! I come from a big family, and it was always about the chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand, you know? And they’re just a great snack.”
The event was as fun as you’d expect from the man who played Shooter McGavin. McDonald was in his element, joking about his strategy for winning the tournament and sharing his favorite mini golf obstacle (spoiler: it’s the windmill). “It’s all about fun today, and it’s going to be a great turnout with a great product,” he said. “I’m just delighted to be part of it.”
But Happy Gilmore 2 and putt-putt isn’t the only thing on McDonald’s plate. The actor has also been making waves with his role as a casino mogul in HBO Hacks, a series that has captured the hearts of both critics and audiences alike. For McDonald, Hacks is a special project, one that he’s thrilled to be part of.
via Joe Lloyd / M&Ms, with permission
“Hacks is special—absolutely special,” McDonald reflected. “It’s the most special show I’ve been on in a very long time. I’m delighted and honored to be part of a cast that’s so spot-on. The writing is off the hook—great. The writers, Jen Stasky, Paul W. Downs, and his wife Lucia Aniello, are hysterically funny people. The stuff they write for us is a gift.”
McDonald’s role as a casino mogul comes naturally to him, as he draws inspiration from his time spent in Las Vegas, where the series is partly filmed. “Pretty natural. I walked around Vegas, baby. We were blessed to shoot in Vegas at the beginning of the season, which was great. You just walk around like you’re the man,” he said.
In Hacks, McDonald’s character is faced with the bittersweet task of watching his longtime headliner, played by Jean Smart, branch out on her own. The actor hinted at potential future developments in the series, expressing a desire for more romantic tension between his character and Smart’s. “It was heartbreaking to take her [Jean’s character] off the show—she’s been my headliner for 25 years, and now she’s got her own show. It’s going to be very interesting. I’d like to see a little more romance coming back between us because who knows what’s going to happen to me and my French fiancée. The storylines are just great writing. I pinch myself every time I go back to Hacks. It’s that good.”
As for what’s next, McDonald remains tight-lipped, but his excitement for Happy Gilmore 2 is undeniable.
Christopher McDonald is ready to bring Shooter McGavin back to the screen with a vengeance.
“Happy Gilmore did serious damage on television, as people would sit down and watch it just because it’s so funny, which would perk them up for the day,” McDonald smirks. “The film did very well in theaters, grossing around $50 million, but its lasting appeal on TV is what truly cemented its status as an iconic comedy.”